The Foodie Dietitian Blog

Easy Shakshuka with Harissa

A traditional Middle Eastern dish with a North African twist, this easy shakshuka with harissa (eggs baked in a spicy tomato stew) is a delicious savory dish to put on your Sunday brunch menu! Friends who know me well (aka friends I brunch with) know that there’s a 99% chance I will order eggs benedict for brunch if it’s on the menu. Rarely do I stray from my beloved Bene but if I was to cheat on Bene, there would only be one dish worthy enough for a brunch love affair: Shakshuka. Poached eggs. Spicy tomato stew. Homemade grilled bread. DONE. There’s nothing more I need in life. Except for maybe some crumbled feta on top. 🙂But for reals, Middle Eastern food is making a comeback. It was named one of the top food trends for 2018 (check out my most recent piece on Middle Eastern foods for Shape.com) and so I thought now would be the perfect time to revamp this recipe from a few year’s back and give it some new life. When I was making this again, I realized this is such a perfect BRINNER (breakfast for dinner) meal. It’s so easy to make and it requires only one dirty dish, your cast iron pan. Shakshuka is like the original one pan dinner! I’ll definitely be adding this back into the regular weeknight menu rotation! Now fair warning, this dish has some extra heat to it, thanks to the harissa. I don’t love super spicy things and this dish for me was just at my threshold, so I think you’ll be okay. But if you’re super sensitive to spicy foods, I would suggest cutting the harissa in half. I’m a big fan of eggs for dinner too and this is a fun way to spice them up a bit! Especially when that runny yolk mixes with the spicy tomatoes and you sop it all up with some fresh pita. Annnnd, I’m hungry again.

Easy Shakshuka with Harissa

Description

A traditional Middle Eastern dish with a North African twist, this easy shakshuka with harissa (eggs baked in a spicy tomato stew) is a delicious savory dish to put on your Sunday brunch menu!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, roughly chopped

1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons harissa

1 tablespoon tomato paste

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

Salt and pepper, to taste

5 eggs

Optional garnishes: cilantro, feta cheese

Grilled pita or bread, for dipping

Instructions

In a cast iron pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and cook until onions soften and become translucent, about five minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute.

Add paprika, sugar, harissa and tomato paste and stir to combine. Add tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Reduce heat and let simmer until tomatoes begin to thicken and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

Create nests in the tomato stew for the eggs and crack an egg in each nest.

This looks so delicious! Love the use of harissa to elevate the shakshuka. I miss having eggs in this way since becoming vegan, but I think I can sub in some soft tofu to mimic the effect, and still get the delightful sauce for bread-dipping!

I don’t know why you would use a cast iron skillet for this; surely the tomato juice will damage the seasoning and possibly the pan itself. Stainless steel, tin or just about anything else would be more suitable.

Hey Dobbin – thanks for your concern! Here’s a myth busted by the Kitchn on this topic that should provide more insight to those who are concerned:

Myth #2: You should never cook tomatoes and other acidic foods in cast iron.
A well-seasoned pan can handle acidic foods with impunity. Mark does caution, though, against jumping into menu plans with tomatoes while using a newly purchased Lodge product. “If the seasoning is very good, you can prepare dishes with tomatoes and other acidic foods, but it’s best to wait until your piece is well-seasoned.” Recipes including very acidic foods, like tomatoes and citrus juices, should not be cooked in seasoned cast iron until the cookware is highly seasoned. The high acidity of these foods will strip the seasoning and result in discoloration and metallic-tasting food.

Once I saw Ottolenghi, I was hooked. No further explanation needed! This sounds amazing! I love everything about this! I actually bet this would be a great dinner. Is it weird that I’m not a huge fan of eggs in the morning but love them for dinner? An egg sandwich is my go-to when I don’t feel like cooking anything! Cannot wait to try this one, pinned!

I’m a huge fan of Shakshuka! Make it every few weeks (in my house it definitely doesn’t serve 6!). Love the spin on this one using harissa. Oh, and you reminded me another reason why i need a cast iron skillet – every time I make shakshuka my pan overflows!

I’ve never had shakshuka before, probably because I have GERD and it could be very regretful afterwards buuuuut I think I could sacrifice some heartburn for this one! This looks so comforting and satisfying. Pinning!